Underinflation dual tire alarm



Sept. 9, 1952 L, E 2,609,784.

UNDERINFLATICN DUAL RE ALARM Filed April 9, 1949 p *1 1 INVENTORI. CZ/IKEA/CC' 1. A71

Patented Sept. 9, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT-OFFICE 2,609,784 'UNDERINFLATION DUAL TIREALARMT} Q1 1 ClarenceL. Kite, Radnor, Ind. Application April 9, 1949, Serial lvo. 36,553 1 i This invention relates to an alarm device for dual tires.

The chief object of the, present invention is, to

provide a singular device for attachment to a dual wheel structure and which is utilizable with both tires to Warn the vehicle operator eration of the deflation indicator through differ ential pressures residual in the fluid pressure reservoir and tire.

Other objects and features of theinvention will be set forth more fully hereinafter.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying; drawings and the following description and claims;

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a central sectional view through a dual wheel structure with the invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a central sectional view through one of the indicator units and a portion of that reservoir, the signal per se, of audible type being shown in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a central sectional view through a slightly modified form of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a, longitudinal enlarged sectional view through a connection structure.

In Fig. 1 the axle It) supports a hub l I of a dual wheel structure I2 detachably mounting as at l3, the body portions l4 that carry rims t5, each of which mounts a tire [6. Hub H also mounts brake drum ll. All the foregoing comprises an example of a conventional dual wheel structure to which the invention is applied.

Each tire [6 includes an air-fill supply [8 that projects through rim l as shown. This also is conventional. However, in the present invention the usual valve stem cap is omitted.

Detachably or otherwise mounted as at I9 is a fluid pressure reservoir 20 in the form of an annulus. This preferably, but not necessarily, is metallic. It includes a single air-fill structure 2| with included valve core or insides, not shown, and a cap 22.

Reference will now be had to Fig. 2 wherein there is illustrated one of the two signal indicators used with the dual wheel structure. If a triple wheel structure be utilized, three signal 2 Claims. (01. 116 -341 indicators would, beused Herein, see Fig. 1 the two indicators are disposed 'in diametral or balanced relation. If three. indicators bewused same would be disposed degrees apart for balanced disposition.

Each indicatonsee Fig. 2 includes a stem 23 ported as at 24 and this is enlarged to form tube 25 withvalve seat. 25. therebetween. The exterior of thestemis threadedfor rigid connection in portion 27 on the, reservoir. 20, said portion 2i having channel 28; therethroug-h.

Stem 23 isintegralwith;.housing portion 29 which is dished to; form chamber 30. Carried by the housing in Holt-set; relation is an audible signal 3|. which by passage 32, communicates with. chamber- 30,, ,A ,stem; or pin 33 disposed in tube 25; normally constrains ball valve 34 to seat.

26 to prevent airyescapeufrom: the reservoir 23 to chamber 30, to-blowthe whistlathus actuating; the audible alarm herein selected for illustration.

Closing chamber 33 is diaphragm 3B. This is secured by dished. cover. 31 providing chamber 38. The cover 31 and housing aresuitably se cured together with the, diaphragm 36 there-- between as at 39. enforcing disc 40 in chamber 30 and a reversely disposed similar disc 4| in chamber 38. Nuts 42 and 43 respectively clamp same together with the diaphragm therebetween. Stem 33 is threaded at 34 for such purpose.

Stem 33 also, as shown, extends across chamber 38 and its free end terminates in channel 45 in boss 43. Thus as the diaphragm 3B flexes the stem 33 reciprocates and ball valve 34 seats and unseats correspondingly.

Cover cap 31 mounts an air-fill device 41 including a valve or insides not shown, and the device mounts valve cap 48. Cover cap 31 also includes hose mount 49 and a hose 50 is clampingly secured thereto at one end as at 50*. The other end of the hose 5i! terminates in a screw type leak-proof connector 5|, see Fig. 1 having threaded connection with the tire air-fill portion 18. Such connection is illustrated in detail in Fig. 4. It includes stem 5W that is arranged to hold the tire valve insides in open position.

The operation is as follows: Each tire is inflated to the desired pressure through air-fill device 41, chamber 38 and hose 50. Thus chamber 38 is always at the same pressure as its connected tire. Normally this pressure is below that carried in the reservoir. The ball valve 34 is always normally constrained to its seat because the reservoir high pressure times the small ball area, is normally less than the tire pressure times The diaphragm includes rethe diaphragm area. The ball valve 34 prevents reservoir pressure escape and hence prevents alarm actuation.

Whenever through a leak, puncture or blowout, the pressure in chamber 38 falls to a predetermined degree below the desired pressure, the reservoir pressure can now, through ball 34 and stem 33, flex the diaphragm into the chamber 38. In so doing reservoir air pressure escapes to chamber 30 for signal actuation. This continues until the eflective pressures in the two chambers substantially balance. Chamber 30 of course is normally at atmospheric pressure. As deflation continues the alarm is actuated until the reservoir pressure supply is exhausted.

Note that spare tires are inflated and held in that condition by the usual cap and stem valve;

When a deflated tire is removed and the spare is applied it is connected to the warning device in an operative manner, in other words the hose 50 is connected to the spare tire stem from which the cap only is removed.

In Fig. 3 a similar embodiment of the invention is illustrated. Herein a heavy duty dual truck wheel is illustrated and spacers (sleeves) 6B are utilized to mount the annular reservoir m, herein shown circular in radial section. Also the tire stems [I8 are elongated and angular and to the same is attached the couplings of tubes 50 as shown. The remainder of the invention is the same as before.

This invention accordingly is directed to a device that can be readily mounted on a wheel and if desired it can lay against the tire head. This device permits any pressure to be carried in either tire. The alarm however, is actuated at the same predetermined pressure for all tires connected to the air reservoir. This invention also permits the pressure of each tire to be checked, etc.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in great detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative. and not restrictive in character.

The several modifications described herein as well as others which will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art, all are considered to be within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. A multiple tire, under inflation, indicating device comprising a single pressure fluid reservoir, a plurality of warning signals, one for each tire and each operated by pressure from said reservoir, a like number of controls, one for each signal, each control being subject to reservoir pressure, a pressure chamber for each control in free communication with the associated tire and having a pressure therein equal tothat tire pressure, a valve controlled air supply inlet common to the tire and the said chamber, and means in each chamber sealing the tire pressure chamber from the reservoir pressure chamber responsive to chamber and tire pressures and normally constraining said control in opposition to reservoir pressure, to prevent signal actuation until a predetermined degree of tire deflation occurs to insure reservoir pressure actuation of said control.

2. A device as defined by claim 1 wherein the control, comprising a casing having a diaphragm therein dividing the easing into a chamber connected with a tire and having an air supply inlet and a second chamber having a signal operated by pressure therein and supplied with air from the reservoir.

CLARENCE L. KITE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,673,883 Potestio June 19, 1928 2,411,285 Miller Nov. 19, 1946 

